Afghanistan: Heavy snowfall has caused avalanches in northern, central and eastern Afghanistan; 280 people have died. Panshir province is most affected. Communication lines have been disrupted in places, power supplies to Kabul have been cut. Priority needs are for NFIs and emergency shelter; access to isolated areas is difficult.

Hamelmalo, 27 February 2015 – The inhabitants of Adi-Qush village, Hamelmalo sub-zone, expressed readiness to enhance role in endeavors towards the realization of health goals through promoting environmental hygiene.

They also stated that community awareness is on the rise thanks to the extensive promotional activities conducted on health issues, and that sensitization campaign carried out previously has borne encouraging outcome. The village inhabitants further noted the significance of proper utilization of soak-pit-latrines as regards promoting public health.

Asmat, 28 February 2015 – The Administrator of Anseba region, Mr. Ali Mahmud, said that preparations have been finalized to put in place community hospitals in Rikeb and Geleb areas, as well as health stations in Asmat and Halhal sub-zones, in addition to waiting rooms for pregnant mothers in the areas of Himbol-Qechech, Hamashdba and Asbeda at over 23 million Nakfa expenditure. He made the remarks at a meeting with community elders and inhabitants of the sub-zones, during which Mr.

Terminology: Throughout this report the term migrant/refugee is used to cover all those involved in the mixed migration flows (including asylum seekers, trafficked persons, smuggled economic migrants, and refugees). If the case load mentioned refers only to refugees, asylum seekers or trafficked persons, it will be clearly stated.

RMMS presents an end of year trend summary and analysis for 2014 with a focus on the Horn of Africa and Yemen region and neighbouring areas and routes taken out of the region. For ease of reading this presentation uses few statistics but provides a generic overview of prominent trends. Statistical details can be found in RMMS literature produced during the course of 2014 (Regional Mixed Migration Monthly Summaries / Quarterly reports etc.).

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the fourth and fifth periodic reports of Eritrea on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Myanmar: 90,000 people are now reported to have been displaced by continuing violence between government troops and multiple armed groups in Kokang, Shan state. Aid organisations have been subject to attack – seven people were wounded in two separate incidents.

Ethiopia - IOM Ethiopia organized a two-day International Migration Law (IML) training for senior government officials of the national and regional State Anti-Trafficking Taskforces on February 18 and 19, 2015. They included officials from the Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs, Bureau of Justice, Bureau of Women and Children Affairs, and Police Commission.

Italy - A team of IOM staffers has been able to interview dozens of this week’s arrivals from Libya, mostly African migrants.

In February 2015 IOM has recorded the arrival in Italy of some 4,300 migrants - 3,800 from Friday 13th to Tuesday 17th. The majority of these migrants are sub-Saharan Africans, although in the last 24 hours IOM staffers have reported that they also include Syrians and Eritreans.

Migrants have been rescued and brought to the ports of Lampedusa, Pozzallo, Augusta, Porto Empedocle, Trapani (Sicily) and to Calabria on the mainland.

Epidemic prone diseases remain to be serious public health threats to Mem- ber States in the African region. In response to these threats, Member States through the adoption and implementation of the Integrated Diseases Surveil- lance and Response Strategy and the International Health Regulations, con- tinue to strengthen their public health emergency response systems and struc- tures. In this issue, a summary of acute public health events that occurred dur- ing the course of 2014 is provided

Myanmar: Fighting between the Myanmar army and the MNDAA, an insurgent group in the Kokang area of Shan state, displaced tens of thousands of people. Some fled into central Myanmar, while between 30,000 and 50,000 are thought to have crossed into Nansan, Yunnan province, China.

Geneva, 13 February 2015 -- The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea will visit Djibouti and Ethiopia from 16 to 27 February to hold meetings and collect testimonies and accounts on the human rights situation in Eritrea.